Beyond Disabilities, Beyond Distance: Serving and interacting with customers via robots creates valuable relationships and gives everybody a chance to work with their peers and connect with society 

In addition to developing the avatar robots OriHime and OriHime-D, which users regardless of age, gender, or disability can remotely operate as their avatar, Ory Laboratory has envisioned the DAWN Avatar Robot Café concept, where users work or virtually visit via robots. Through our company's Avatar Guild remote staffing agency, users can seek employment, which provides a way for people to remain active in society. The goal is to demonstrate that with the right tools, even people who have difficulties in moving about freely can participate in physical labor and customer service from the comfort of their homes via an avatar robot. 

The development of avatar robots is the foundation for this groundbreaking project, removing the barrier between job seekers and employers. It provides a place for job-hunting and training for those with disabilities, and successfully led to permanent placements at conventional companies. Visiting reveals how the café is designed to provide customer service with a human touch, via robots. The robots serve as a medium for lively interaction between those with and without disabilities, and thus far we have seen how invaluable this is. 

For those who hesitate to venture outside due to physical/psychological challenges, past accidents or the like, the avatar robot OriHime provides another means for physical expression and action. OriHime is controlled remotely by “pilots” who interact with the world outside through robot-mounted cameras, speakers, and microphone. In this way, the robots offer virtual outings even for paralyzed pilots, by using a line-of-sight input device to speak with others. 

The creation of the avatar robot was largely motivated by the personal experiences of Ory Yoshifuji, current CEO of Ory Lab. Health issues prevented Ory Yoshifuji from attending elementary school for about three and a half years, making it so unbearably lonely that life hardly seemed worth living. 

Even later, it was harrowing for him to imagine relapsing into this kind of isolation. The despair that his health problems might possibly return prompted him to prepare. He explored how loneliness might be alleviated, which led to the development of avatar robots, a way to feel human connection regardless of one's physical or psychological state. To Ory Yoshifuji, who designed a wheelchair while in high school, avatar robots are like wheelchairs that carry the user's heart.  

Rather than seeking mechanically efficient robots, Ory Yoshifuji designs robots that convey the presence of the user: “We'd like to give people lifestyle choices that can lead to friendships and fulfilling roles in society regardless of any physical barriers. For myself as well, one day when I'm no longer able to move around freely, I'd like to be prepared. That's our goal with OriHime—our vision of how we can eliminate people's loneliness.” 

The café is involved in arranging employment opportunities for their pilots by matching them with companies or organizations looking to hire people with disabilities. 

The OriHime and DAWN café projects may in some ways seem like welfare programs for those confined to their bed or house due to illness, but the pilots are not the only ones who benefit. The café visitors they serve are reminded of the value of human connection. The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 forced us into isolation, separated us from society, and forced us to be alone. This raised awareness about how people isolated from society felt and how much we need to be in touch with others. 

Regardless of physical constraints, there is hope in knowing that interacting with people and participating in society is still possible in places like DAWN café. It is somehow reassuring that there are reliable and experienced SENPAI at DAWN cafe whose piloting methods are becoming a storehouse of knowledge. And again, these efforts show us the significance of human connections.